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Things We Wouldn’t Know Without the Movies. During all police investigations, it will be necessary to visit a strip club at least once. All beds have special L-shaped sheets which reach a woman’s armpit, but only waist level on the man beside her.
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ThingsWeWouldn’t Know Without the Movies During all police investigations, it will be necessary to visit a strip club at least once. All beds have special L-shaped sheets which reach a woman’s armpit, but only waist level on the man beside her. The ventilation system of any building is the perfect hiding place. No one will ever think to look for you there and you can travel anywhere without difficulty. Television news bulletins usually contain a story that affects you personally at that precise moment. A single match will be sufficient to light up a room the size of Wrigley Field. A detective can only solve a case once he has been suspended from duty. It does not matter if you are heavily outnumbered in a fight involving martial arts, your enemies will wait patiently to attack you one by one by dancing around in a threatening manner until you have knocked out their predecessors. They will also wait while you change into your super-hero costume. An electric fence powerful enough to kill a dinosaur will cause no lasting damage to an eight-year-old child. If staying in a haunted house, women should investigate any strange noise in their most revealing underwear. It is not necessary to say hello or goodbye when beginning or ending a phone conversation. Should you wish to pass yourself off as a German officer, it is not necessary to speak the language, a German accent will do. Even when driving down a straight road it is necessary to turn the wheel vigorously every few moments. The Eiffel Tower can be seen from any window in Paris. You’re very likely to survive any battle in any war—unless you make the mistake of showing someone a picture of your sweetheart back home. A man will show no pain while taking the most ferocious beating, but will wince when a woman tries to clean his wounds.
Cinema in the Classroom The Film Research Unit
Objective • You will research and review a specific genre of films or a particular director. • Your group will present its research in a 45-minute presentation, presentations begin May 24th. • No more than five groups per class period are possible due to time restrictions. • Genres may not be repeated unless significant differences exist between thesis statements/films studied. Teacher approval is required. • Ex: Animated films: Toy Story and Finding Nemo vs. Akira and Appleseed
Progress Reports • Progress Reports will be used to measure your group’s progress throughout the project. • They will be due periodically, per the calendar and the class wiki. • Please review them BEFORE they are due as all of them require planning and preparation and cannot be completed during the class period they are due.
Final Result • The culmination of this project will be a 45-minute presentation of your findings by your group. You are expected to rehearse on your own time as well as during a two-day period allotted for rehearsal immediately following the AP exam. • Failure to make use of your allotted presentation time will significantly lower your grade. • You will be graded according to three rubrics: • Teacher Evaluation (100 major grade) • Student Evaluation of Group Members (2x daily grade) • Will affect your final grade: if your group members say you only contributed 50%, that’s all you get of the final grade. • Ex: Group Score: 90 x Your contribution: 75% = 68 • Student Evaluation of presentation: daily grade
Schedule 4/22: Defining Your Project 4/29: Précis/ Criticism Due 5/3: Progress Report 1 Due 5/10: Progress Report 2 Due 5/17: Progress Report 3 Due 5/19-5/23: Rehearsal Days (class time) 5/21: Binder Due 5/24: Presentations begin * Any extra time we have in class will be yours to work on the FRU, but do not count on having whole class days before the AP Exam.
Anarchic/Zany Comedy Auteur Film (director study) Biography Coming-of-age Films Political Thriller Epic Film A Clef Monster Film Martial Arts/Kung Fu Films Nostalgia/American Films Social Consciousness/Expose Films Weepie/Tearjerker Film Noir Documentary Animated Films Dark Comedy Buddy Film Caper Film Fantasy (Live action) Gangster Film Homage Films Mystery/Thriller Parody/Spoof Films Special Effects War Film Westerns Foreign Films Musicals Genres Group limit: 5 groups per period
The Binder • Each group must have a one inch (or larger) binder. All FRU assignments are to be placed in the appropriate section of your binder before turning it in to your teacher. • Section headings (MUST be used): • Genre Analysis: Defining Project, Precis and film crit., Filmography • Progress Reports: Progress Reports 1, 2, & 3 • Presentation Materials: Outline, Printout of Powerpoint, copy of handouts, etc. • The cover of the binder should list the following: • Genre/Director researched • AP English 3, Period ____ • Names of Group Members
Defining Your ProjectDue: April 22nd • Read Approaches to Film Analysis • Draft a formal definition of your genre, including: • A brief history of the genre: This should be written in paragraph form, and should include at least two appropriately cited outside sources. • A description of the approach your group intends to use in analyzing the films* • You are expected to do Formalist Analysis, but should also consider using one of the additional types to focus your presentation. • List A: Group Members • List B: 10 movie titles (from your genre) from 1980-2009 • List C: 5 movie titles (from your genre) released before 1980. • *Working* Works Cited: beginning with the sources used for your formal definition, and for the information about your movies. • This will change by the end of the project. Do not forget to update it as you go along.
The Formalist Approach to Film Analysis • Formalist Analysis goes much deeper than plot and acting • Assumes the merits of a film lie in its structure. What do we get out of a movie that we might not from a book, or just hearing someone tell us the story? • Asks the question: How well are the film’s goals achieved by the overall look and feel of the film? • Examines the technical aspects of the film: • Camera Angles: yes, these affect your ‘view of the film.’ EX: A director can restrict the shot so that the audience is unable to see what the character is looking at; he can film from a high angle to give the audience a sense of ‘watching over’ a depressed character • Special Effects: not just whether or not they are used, but were the “Ka-Booms!” in the right place? Was the lighting used to create a sense of impending doom, or tranquil reflection? Did the makeup show every wrinkle on the old woman’s face, making her seem world-weary, or did it give the impression that she was covering up her wrinkles, trying to mask her advanced age? • Cinematography: how does the style of filming (sweeping vistas, intense close-ups) reflect the style of the director? How does it enhance the telling of the story? (think about your appeals here!) • Music: this is an intense and vital part of a film. Do NOT leave out a discussion of the director’s use of music to enhance or control the mood of the film. It acts on the audience’s perception and plays with their emotions (EX: building tension with the pace or pitch of music, adding to a sense of calm or fear with a total absence of music).
Criticism and PrecisDue: April 29th • READ Precis Instructions • Film Criticism: Each member of the group must locate, print out, and annotate a substantive article of film criticism related to your chosen genre/director. • These articles should be scholarly. Random internet resources are not considered credible or scholarly. • Simple, brief movie reviews will receive a failing grade. • You will need to use at least three in your presentation. • Articles from books of film criticism are preferable to internet sources. • Check the library here and Barbara Bush library at Cypresswood and Stuebner! • Gale Database: go to http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/carlwuns • From school: school • From home: home • EBSCO: go to http://search.ebscohost.com • User/Pass: wunsche/wunsche • Click on Literary Research Center
Criticism and PrecisDue: April 29th • Précis: Each member must write a bibliographic entry for the assigned film(s) and a précis for his/her chosen article, including a citation for the film review used. • Précis should include a discussion of how the article can be used in analyzing the genre or film from the formalist approach as well as any other approach your group has chosen to use. • Assignment pieces (see instructions) are to be placed in alphabetical order, according to the bibliographic entry, in the binder.
Progress Report #1Due: May 3 Answer all of the following questions as they apply to your group. Then insert the report in the front pocket of your folder. 1. What is the narrowed focus of your presentation? In other words, what will your group illustrate and prove? 2. List all of the titles of movies some or all of your group members have previewed so far. Which of these films was made before 1980? 3. List the titles of any additional film criticism you have found. Be sure to place an annotated copy of and bibliography of this criticism in the brads preceding the original criticism. 4. List the scheduled times your group will meet before Progress report #2 is due. 5. Tell me—in writing—of any concerns which have arisen within your group. Remember everyone should be a contributing member of the group. If not, an individually written research paper will be assigned for a non-contributing group member.
Progress Report #2Due: May 10 Answer all of the following questions as they apply to your group. Then insert the report in the front pocket of your folder. Thesis: (See Sample Thesis Document) 1. (a) Describe at least two scenes from different films which illustrate your preliminary thesis idea. (b) Comment on how each scene illustrates your thesis idea. Movie 1: a) b) Movie 2: a) b) Movie 3: a) b) 2. Write 2 direct quotations from your critical articles which relate specifically to your thesis idea. a) b) 3. Explain the sequence of your presentation. Who is explaining each part? In what order? How many minutes is each part? 4. Tell me the time, date, and place of your next 2 group meetings: a) b) 5. What else do you need to tell me about your group’s progress?
Progress Report #3Due: May 17 Make sure all of the items are included in your report. Then insert the report in the front pocket of your folder. 1. Final Thesis 2. Topic Sentence Outline 3. Work’s Cited Page with film titles Remember, you must incorporate a minimum of three sources of film criticism in your outline/presentation.
Filmography and OutlineDue: May 21 (with Binder) • Filmography: Now that you have selected your final film lineup, you need to create a filmography for each of your chosen films. • Filmographies are synopses of film information including: • Summary of the plot • Credits (actors, directors, composers, editors) • Awards • Outline: You must create a detailed outline of your presentation and include it in your binder. I should be able to use it to follow your presentation!
Rubrics Print out: • One Teacher Rubric- in the back pocket of your binder (hint: you can use this as a checklist) • One Group Member Evaluation per group member- fill out and turn in on the day of your presentation
Presentation Guidelines:General Info • PRACTICE!!! • All group members should have a meaningful part in the presentation • All group members should have a FULL COPY of the presentation the day your group presents. If Joe doesn’t show, you still have to go! • Show some enthusiasm! Get dressed up! Do a Dance! • Make sure we can hear you. If your group members can’t understand or hear you in rehearsal, speak up! • Make Eye Contact! • Get your audience involved! (Required, by the way)
Presentation Guidelines:Film Clips • 20 minutes maximum • Clips must be directlyrelevant to your discussion • Must show at least one film prior to 1980 • Quality: • Must not be a movie preview (see discussion about formalist analysis) • Must be stored on your computer. If you are using YouTube, convert and save the clip before the presentation; • Must WORK the day of your presentation (practice!)
Presentation Guidelines:Content/Discussion • Your thesis should reflect your creativity and research! • Commentary is instructive and well informed • Discussion does not feel disconnected from film clips • Evidence of researched formal criticism • Quotations that add depth to the presentation • Purposeful conclusion that relates directly to thesis
PRACTICE! • The number one, most obvious mistake students make yearafteryear is not practicing. • If you rehearse, you: • Know when you’re supposed to talk • Know if your clips aren’t working • Know when something just doesn’t make sense • Know if you are anywhere near the time requirements
Helpful Websites www.filmsite.org www.imdb.com www.library.yale.edu/humanities/film/genres.html www.oscars.com www.ravecentral.com www.filmjournal.com www.filmsite.org/filmnoir.html www.nottingham.ac.uk/film/journal/contents.htm www.sensesofcinema.com www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/index.html www.wmm.com (women make movies) www.mrqe.com (movie review query engine) www.afi.com (American Film Institute)
